Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-01-22
Washington Letter,


Congress hazEPaid special attention
10 farmers this week. gle has discussed
the question Of Interstate Commerce,
of So much importance TO them; has
laIked about how best TO eradicate
Tleuro-P Pneumonia; has made an at
tempt 70 consider the bill amendatory
of TIE act establishing n bureau Of AM
NAL industry, and the House has sue
cesded In elevating the Agricultural De
partment % Executive Importance. So
when the senate eoncurs, the Commits
sioner OF Agriculture VIII have a seat in
the Cabinet, and be called the Score
tary OF Agriculture. and his wife VIII
assist At the White House receptions on
State occasions.
There win also be in she Department
Of Agriculture a division which shall be
under the charge Of a Commissioner Of
Labor, who shall hold his Office for
four years, and receive a salary Of
5000 q year. His business shall be to
collect Information upon the subject Of
labor, its relation to capital, the hours
Of labor. the rate CT wages, the cost Of
production OF the articles produced q,
the earnings Of the laboring men and
women, the means Of promoting their
material, social, Intellectual and moral
prosperity, and the best means of pro-
tocting life and preventing accidents in
mines. workshops, factories and other
places Of Industry
The Secretary Of Agriculture is en-
powered by the bill gust passed, to en-
qalre into she causes Of discomfort
which may exist between employers
and employees within the United States,
and he may invite and hear sworn
statements from both such parties con
corning matters in controversy.
Another important step has been Ia
ken in the Permanent Exposition move
ment- The Senatorial committee on
this subject have reported in favor of
eommelnorating the great Constitution
al Centennial in 1889, and very proper
ly Washington has been selected as the
place for holding it. The committee
has not yet reported uponEthe manner
Of the proposed celebration, or in re-
gard to the Quadri-Centennial of 1892 q,
but the action now taken furnishes suf-
fcieut assurance that the entire pro-
gramme, as contemplated by the Board
of Promotion and including its expOsi-
ton features, will receive the indorse-
ment Of Congress
There are a number Of absentees from
the Senate Chamber during these excl
ting days OF Senatorial contests. Sena-
tors Conger and Mcmillan have not
returned from their frhit,ess errands to
secure reelection. Senator Sewen is
at New Jersy's capital looking after his
fences. Senators Miller and VanWyck
are in New York and Nebraska respec-
lively, looking after their interests,
Senators Voorhees, and Harrison are in
Indianapolis marshaling the opposing
forces, and Senator Maxey went to
TsSEs in pursuit Of Congressman
Regain. The race Of these rivals caused
some amusement.
Senator Maxey heard of Mr.. Regan' S
departure about twenty minutes after
the latter's train steamed away from
the station, and Immediately he ordered
his. trunk and engaged sleeping car
accommodations to Austin. Mr.. Regan
had about three hours the start, but as
no took the Virginia Midland and SEN
ator Maxey the St. Louis route, it be-
came not only race for the senator
ship, bat lively race, as well, to see
which would be the first 70 enter the
legislature on opening day.
The House Of Representative was
much stirred up over tho Aati-Polyga-
my bill. When it came up for consid,
Grafton on Wednesday, the delegate
from Utah, Mr.. Game, took the floor il
a long speech which commanded the
closest attention. He said the measure
was nn-democratic, un-American anG
wantouly destructive Of human rights
that it set at naught the immutabl,
principles upon which the common
rights Of man Weie founded, and turned
the Mormons and their church over Il
insatible spoilers. Delegate Game at
tracled she whole House around HIN
and excited the interest of the galleries
during bis spirited defence Of the Sail
Lake hierarchy.
There was q good deal of differen Ct
Of Opirion among Members touching
the eonstutionality of some features o.
the mormon bill. It proposes to ex
tinguish what Is known as the Mormon
ghurohs and scatter or divide its prop
erty among those who do not believe in
us tenets or practices. Some Mem
bers argued chat the Constitution
which prohibits the establishment o.
any church or form Of religion, was to
BE- invoked to dise5tablish and extirpate
an Objectionable creed, and that this
was striking rather TO deeply at the
roots Of religious freedom. Others ar
gned that It was useless to call this bill
an assault upon religion. II was an
assault upon a band of men organ,
lied. for the purpose Of exclusively con-
trolling a tsrritory which belonged tc
the people % the United States, and
which shoRld be free and open 10 all
Colonel fngerson is advancing. lie
is now able to SAP that ''he hopes it
win turn out that there is a Cod Pro-
lessor Cope. Of philadelphia, IN a lee
ture lately delivered. N Philadelphia